TRANSPARENCY MASTERS
The materials on the following pages can be easily copied and converted to transparencies for overhead projectors. Instructors using
Diagram of an Essay
Title of the Essay
Opening remarks to catch reader s interest Thesis statement
Plan of development (optional)
Topic sentence 1 (supporting point 1) Specific evidence
Topic sentence 2 (supporting point 2) Specific evidence
Topic sentence 3 (supporting point 3) Specific evidence
Summary
General closing remarks (Or both)
Introduction
Prewriting Techniques
Brainstorming
Ask as many questions as you can think of about your subject.
Freewriting
Write without stopping.
Don’t worry about “mistakes” - they don’t matter. Just focus on getting words down on paper.
Diagramming (Mapping)
Use circles, boxes, and other shapes to show the relationships between ideas.
Making a List
List as many items about your topic as you can think of.
Preparing a Scratch Outline
In a brief outline, show the thesis of your paper and number 1, 2, and 3 the points that support your thesis. For example:
Television can have real benefits. 1. Relaxation
3. Education
The Four Bases of Effective Writing
2 Support
4 Sentence
Skills 3
Coherence
1 Unity
Clearly stated thesis in the opening paragraph?
Logical plan of development?
All supporting paragraphs on target in support of the thesis? Specific evidence?
Plenty of it?
Any rough spots where sentences do not flow
smoothly and clearly?
Any mistakes in grammar, punctuation, or usage?
Clear method of organization?
Writing a Thesis Statement
Write a thesis that is neither too broad nor too narrow for each group of three supporting points.
1. Thesis: _________________________________________ a. My first car was a rebellious-looking one which
matched the way I felt and acted as a teenager. b. My next car reflected my more mature and practical
adult self.
c. My latest car seems to tell me that I m aging; it shows my growing concern with comfort and safety.
2. Thesis: _________________________________________ a. Going to a two-year college can save up to $20,000 in
tuition.
b. If the college is nearby , there are no costs for room and board.
c. All the course credits that are accumulated can be transferred to a four-year school.
3. Thesis: _________________________________________ a. First, I tried simply avoiding the snacks aisle of the
supermarket.
b. Then I started limiting myself to only five units of any given snack.
c. Finally, in desperation, I began keeping the cellophane bags of snacks in a cupboard.
4. Thesis: _________________________________________ a. First of all, I was a typical “type A” personality: anxious,
impatient, and hard-driving.
b. I also had a family history of relatives with heart trouble.
Completing Thesis Statements
Complete the following thesis statements by adding a third supporting point that will match the two already provided.
1. Because I never took college preparatory courses in high school, I entered college deficient in mathematics, study skills, and ______________________________________.
2. A good salesperson needs to like people, to be aggressive, and ________ .
3. Rather than blame myself for failing the course, I blamed the instructor , my adviser, and even ________.
4. Anyone who buys an old house planning to fix it up should be prepared to put in a lot of time, hard work, and ________.
5. Our old car eats gas, makes funny noises, and _________.
6. My mother, my boss, and my _________ are three people who are very important in my life right now.
7. Getting married too young was a mistake because we hadn’t finished our education, we weren’t ready for children, and
_________.
8. Some restaurant patrons seems to leave their honesty, their cleanliness, and their _________ at home.
9. During my first semester at college, I had to learn how to manage my time, how to manage my diet, and _________.
Introductions and Conclusions
Common Methods of Introduction
1. Begin with a broad, general statement of your topic and narrow it down to your thesis statement.
2. Start with an idea or situation that is the opposite of the one you will develop.
3. Explain the importance of your topic to the reader.
4. Use an incident or brief story.
5. Ask one or more questions.
6. Use a quotation.
Common Methods of Conclusion
1. End with a summary and final thought.
2. Include a thought-provoking question or short series of questions.
Providing Transitions
In the spaces provided, add appropriate transitions to tie together the sentences and ideas in the following essay. Draw from the words given in the box below.
Hooked on Buying
Every day, Americans head out in droves for our country’s department stores, discount centers, and shopping malls. We all have to buy something we think we really need or we feel is an incredible bargain. In reality, though, we are just ready for another fix of our favorite drug: shopping. There are several reasons why we seem to have turned into a nation of consumer junkies.
___________, Americans believe in competition, even when it comes to acquiring possessions. We feel like losers if we don’t own the cars, appliances, clothes, and
furniture our neighbors and friends own. ___________, the Browns four-year-old car will seem fine until the Smiths next door buy a brand-new model. Then the competitive instinct to stay ahead in the game sends the Browns out scouting the new car lots.
____________, the competitive urge tells us that people’ s success in life is measured by how much they own. So we admire those with the most material possessions, the ones who own three cars or enough shoes to fill a walk-in closet.
A ____________ reason for our addiction to consumer goods is the American belief that “new is better.” It is possible to fix a broken toaster, mend torn clothing, or make do with an outdated refrigerator. ____________ we prefer to throw out the old and buy the new. ____________, we have junkyards and dumps bursting with the still-usable items we no longer want. Instead of reusing or recycling, which would make more economic sense, we throw away.
____________, our buying habit is maintained and encouraged by
advertisers. W e are bombarded by television and print ads that carry seductive messages. ____________ of these messages is that buying a particular product a stereo, a
motorcycle, or a dishwasher, ____________ is all that is needed to make the purchaser happy. ____________ message is that buying a
certain product will make the user a better, more attractive person. Every shampoo, make-up, or cologne tries to convince us that a single item can transform us into the ideal self we fantasize about.
In this country , shopping satisfies our psychological needs. W e are truly hooked on the thrill that comes from passing cash or plastic over a store counter and receiving some new possession in return.
finally but for example in addition another
Outlining Practice
Under each of the three thesis statements that follow is a scrambled list of primary and secondary supporting ideas. Put the ideas into logical order by filling in the outline to the right of each list.
1. Thesis: In today s world, people try to avoid silence as much as possible.
On vacation _________________
TV on as background noise _________________
At school _________________
Muzak playing in cafeteria _________________
Stereos and radios on nonstop _________________
Noisy “toys” such as snowmobiles and dirt bikes ________________
At home _________________
Noisy places such as crowded beaches and
amusement parks _________________
TV soap operas on in lounges _________________
2. Thesis: A marriage improves when both partners work.
Helps relationship __________________
Able to afford some luxuries __________________ Gives feeling of achievement __________________
Helps each individual __________________
Learn to appreciate time together __________________
Helps financially __________________
Eases paying monthly bills __________________
Gives feeling of independence __________________ Able to talk together about outside activities __________________
3. Thesis: A few tips can help you to be a smarter car buyer.
Agreeing on a price __________________
Consult Consumer Reports __________________
Signing the final papers __________________
Shopping around __________________
Ask for a discount if you’re paying cash __________________
Visit several dealers __________________
Make sure the loan interest rate you want is
specified on paper __________________
Watch out for added contract clauses, such as
Editing Practice
See if you can locate and correct the ten sentence-skills mistakes in the following passage. The mistakes are listed in the box below.
Another field that seems to attract eccentric teachers is English. One of my high school English teachers Mr. Karlinsky used to carry a long wooden pointer around the room. When he spotted a student who was not paying attention. He would sneak up from behind and rap the pointer as hard as possible on the student’s desk. The unexpected and earsplitting crack would cause the victims body to rise at least six inches from the desk chair . College has its share of strange English teachers as well, for example, one of my professors liked to draw on the board. Dr. Sandlin would stroll around the room, chalk in hand, waiting for the chance to draw something. Then she would spend thirty minutes of a fifty-minute class drawing
Shakespeare’s Globe Theater or a seventeenth-century sword. The oddest English teacher I have had was Mr. Shaw, who taught a drama course. Mr. Shaw loved the sound of his own voice, when we read a play, he would take all the parts. Standing behind the lectern Mr. Shaw would run through an entire play by himself. While the students either fell asleep, doing homework for other classes, or read magazines. Mr. Shaw was so happy to be acting he did not seem to mind. At the end of class, as we picked up our books and head out the door, Mr. Shaw could still be heard booming out the end of a scene from Hamlet or The Glass Menagerie.
.
2 sentence fragments 1 missing comma after introductory words 2 run-ons 2 missing commas around an interrupter 1 inconsistent verb tense 1 nonparallel structure
Essay Evaluation Form
Evaluate the essay in question by answering the questions that follow.
Base 1: Unity
Is there a clearly stated thesis in the introductory paragraph?
Do all the supporting paragraphs back up the thesis?
Your comments:
Base 2: Support
Is there specific evidence?
Is there plenty of it?
Your comments:
Base 3: Coherence
Is there a clear method of organization? (List of items or a time order?)
Are transitions used to connect sentences and ideas?
Your comments:
Base 4: Sentence Skills
Are there any rough spots where the sentences do not flow smoothly and clearly?
Are there any mistakes in grammar, punctuation, or usage?
